Pencils, Sharpeners, You and the Church

Our church has an adult Sunday School class which is taught by our pastor, Dennis Huenefeld.  This morning, in the course of the class discussion, he gave a good object lesson I thought I would pass along. 

Each of us has a story to tell, and thus we are like a pencil.   Over time, however, every pencil gets dull and needs to be sharpened.  In the same way, going to church serves as the "sharpening tool" to freshen our lives, making them able to put out a clear and concise message about our Christian walk.

Can you be a Christian and not attend church?  Of course you can, since the requirement for being one is not church attendance but believing in and establishing a personal relationship with Jesus.  The church does, however, serve as a tool used by the Holy Spirit to "sharpen" our knowledge of God's Word and also provides much needed fellowship with other believers.

The question of the day is, "Did the point of your Christian experience get sharpened today?"  So thankful for Crosby Assembly of God and the many times it has served to make me a more productive Christian.  I'm also thankful for Concordia Lutheran Church here in Crosby, ND which provided my foundation in Christianity and gave me a positive experience growing up in the church. 

Would anyone else like to share the story of how a church or combination of churches has shaped your Christian experience?